BRUSSELS - At the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo emphasized the need for strengthened international cooperation to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region amidst increasing militarization and aggressive actions, particularly in the South China Sea. Manalo highlighted the challenges posed by geopolitical conflicts and global uncertainties, stressing the importance of a peaceful path and resilience building for the region's continued role as a global growth engine and a zone of human flourishing.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Indo-Pacific's stability is being undermined by actions that breach international agreements such as the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. He also pointed out the rising tensions in other critical areas including the East China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and the Taiwan Straits, which jeopardize the security framework that supports the region's economic dynamism.
Reaffirming the Philippines' stance, Manalo advocated for a rules-based international order that ensures fairness and stability, asserting that the region's future should be shaped by a multitude of actors, not dominated by any single or dual powers. This includes the active involvement of ASEAN countries and Pacific island states.
Manalo also critiqued the oversimplification of regional dynamics as merely a facet of US-China strategic competition, arguing that such a perspective risks sidelining the legitimate rights and interests of smaller nations like the Philippines. He warned against allowing the narrative of rivalry to justify actions that are illegal under international law or to skew responses to these actions through the lens of superpower competition.
The forum, which took place on February 2, gathered approximately 70 representatives from the European Union, its member states, countries of the Indo-Pacific region, and several regional organizations to discuss cooperative strategies for ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.